World War I Seaplane and Aircraft Carriers

In 1910, when a biplane was successfully launched from a stationary ship for the first time, few would have imagined that aircraft carriers would rule the seas for much of the next century. But the pace of development was rapid. Just four years later, a Japanese seaplane carrier launched the world's first naval air raid, and in 1916 shipborne aircraft took part in a fleet action for the first time, at Jutland.

With stunning new artwork and fascinating archive photographs, this book is the story of the very first years of the aircraft carrier. From hastily adapted merchant ships to the first purpose-built seaplane carrier (HMS Ark Royal), and the world's first aircraft carrier with a full length flight deck, this book covers the aviation ships built and used by all combatants in World War I, with a concise account of their role in the war at sea.